The Private Industry Council of Westmoreland/Fayette, Inc. (PIC) has been providing successful youth summer work experience programs for over 30 years in both Westmoreland and Fayette Counties. As a provider of the Experience Works! Program funded by the Westmoreland-Fayette Workforce Investment Board, PIC delivers meaningful work experience for youth ages 16 to 21 to best prepare them for the workforce. This year, thanks to a partnership with Monessen Communities That Care, local high school students were able to take a career preparation field trip to California University of Pennsylvania on Tuesday July 23rd.
The field trip provided an opportunity for students from Monessen High School to be able to tour the campus, have an overview of the admissions process and check out the undergraduate majors and programs of study that California University of Pennsylvania has to offer. The students who attended this field trip are working at various organizations in the City of Monessen including: The Salvation Army, Monessen Public Library, Monessen Family Center and the Monessen Police Department.
One of PIC’s youth specialists, Debbie Cohen, was one of the chaperones on this trip and thought that it was an outstanding experience for the kids. “Students in the Experience Works! Program have barriers that can cause setbacks throughout their high school careers. Being able to provide an experience where these students are able to tour a college campus not only opens their eyes to their next chapter in life, but helps boost morale and encourages them to create obtainable goals for themselves.”
The Monessen Communities That Care recognizes the work that PIC does and the positive impact the youth programs have on the community. It not only provides youth work experience but also summer help for local companies and organizations. For their 18th Anniversary Celebration, Monessen Communities that Care provided PIC with an award for their appreciation in serving the youth of the City of Monessen.
For more information about the Experience Works! Program or other Youth Programs, please contact the PIC Youth Department at: 724-836-2600 or send us an email at: youthprograms@privateindustrycouncil.com
